"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism — ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. ”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt

Friday, September 16, 2005

Landslide Ophelia

12 votes???It had to go to the LAST PRECINCT to decide the Senate District 29 election, which has been held by Democrats as long as anyone can remember, and for the last 30 years by John Ford.

However, the affection for the Ford family is apparently not what it once was. Granted, one always expects a lower turnout for a special election. Even so, Kathryn Bowers (pre-indictment) didn't have this much trouble with Mary Ann McNeil when she took the District 33 seat of Roscoe Dixon back in May.

It apparently took robo-calls and last-minute canvassing for Ford to overcome the 424-vote lead that Terry Roland had built up during the Early Voting period. Also undoubtedly breathing a deep sigh of relief was Lt. Governor John Wilder. While Wilder would not have faced another speaker election (my mistake from an earlier post), it would have been tougher for him to maintain control of the Senate with an 18-15 deficit.

No doubt that the GOP, who threatened to bring in a "shitload of lawyers" to contest the result, will spin this as the end of Ford dominance in Big Shelby. Also, no doubt that those on my side of the aisle will spin this as close, but a sign that the name still means something. It must, because it's really all she had until everyone rushed to her aid this week.

What does this portend for Harold the Younger, who needs to wonder why it was this difficult to elect his aunt to a seat that has belonged to his family for 30 years? If that's the case, what must it be like outside the friendly confines of Big Shelby? I suspect that they believe that a Ford is a Ford is a Ford, no matter how young Harold tries to spin things.

4 comments:

Lefty,Do you read this stuff before you post it? "Can Harold Ford Jr. when for Senate in North East TN if his Aunt can only win by 12 votes in a sliver of Memphis?"Come on dude... Get real. There is no purported "Ford machine" of any relevance to Jr. or his soon-to-be-seat as Senator.

As long as you are on this sharp line of reasoning though, let me mention that I have some great ocean front property in Middle TN I can make you a good deal on.